Jalan Kayu Single Member Constituency

Jalan Kayu Single Member Constituency (Traditional Chinese: 惹蘭加油單選區; Simplified Chinese: 惹兰加油单选区) was a single member constituency in Jalan Kayu, Singapore, between 1959 and 1988.

Formation and Dissolution

After the 1951 election, the present Jalan Kayu Single Member Constituency constituted the majority of the Seletar ward; that ward was dissolved prior to the 1959 election, producing the Jayan Kalu ward, the then Thomson ward, and small parts of Nee Soon ward. Following its dissolution in 1988, Jalan Kayu was incorporated into the new Cheng San Group Representation Constituency. The Constituency was a hotly contested ward in the 1997 elections against the Workers' Party, after the People's Action Party had held its predecessor ward by a narrow margin of 571 votes in the 1984 election. Currently, Jalan Kayu took control of Serangoon North HDB estates (Blk 5xx and 6xx), the former ones are Sengkang West.

Cheng San GRC was dissolved prior to the 2001 elections. The ward was then redrawn into Ang Mo Kio Group Representation Constituency, presently held by current Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

Members of Parliament

Candidates and Results

Elections in 1980s

General Election 1984: Jalan Kayu
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
PAP Heng Chiang Meng 11,985 51.22 -17.8
WP Madai Puthan Damodaran Nair 11,414 48.78 +17.8
Turnout 23,908 95.6 +0.1
PAP hold Swing -17.8

Note: Madai Puthan Damodaran Nair was offered the first and only Non-constituency Member of Parliament (NCMP) seat, only to reject it.[1] The seat was subsequently offered to Tan Chee Kien, the second best performing but lost the election opposition candidate who ran in Kaki Bukit SMC under the Singapore United Front's banner as auxiliary NCMP who had also promptly declined the offer.[2] This is the only general election that oversees the Opposition candidates had declined NCMP offers since the introduction of NCMP scheme prior to 1984 general elections. The only other election after the introduction of NCMP scheme that sees no NCMP legislator was after the 1991 general election where 4 opposition legislators were elected, which had exceeded the maximum of 3 NCMP seats (Each NCMP seat is reduced when each opposition candidate has been elected for a particular ward).

General Election 1980: Jalan Kayu
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
PAP Hwang Soo Jin 15,275 69.02 +7.45
WP Madai Puthan Damodaran Nair 6,855 30.98 -7.45
Turnout 22,705 95.5 +0.3
PAP hold Swing +7.45

Elections in 1970s

General Election 1976: Jalan Kayu
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
PAP Hwang Soo Jin 8,883 61.57 +2.15
WP Madai Puthan Damodaran Nair 5,544 38.43 +1.57
Turnout 14,702 95.2 +0.8
PAP hold Swing +2.15
General Election 1972: Jalan Kayu
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
PAP Hwang Soo Jin 8,283 59.42 -22.88
WP Madai Puthan Damodaran Nair 5,137 36.86 +19.16
United National Front Ong Seng Kok 518 3.72 +3.72
Turnout 14,148 94.4 +1.4
PAP hold Swing -22.88

Elections in 1960s

General Election 1968: Jalan Kayu
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
PAP Hwang Soo Jin 9,581 82.30
WP Sum Chong Meng 2,060 17.70
Turnout 11,975 93.0
PAP hold Swing
1967 By Election: Jalan Kayu
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
PAP Teo Hup Teck Walkover
Turnout 11,275
PAP gain from BS Swing
General Election 1963: Jalan Kayu
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
BS Tan Cheng Tong 3,312 38.04 +38.04
PAP Teo Hup Teck 2,676 30.73 -31.55
UPP Lui Boon Phor 1,146 13.16 +13.16
SPA Madai Puthan Damodaran Nair 1,057 12.14 -25.58
Independent Ong Yu Thoh 516 5.93 +5.93
Turnout 8,768 95.7 +5.4
BS gain from PAP Swing

Notes: The then incumbent Tan Cheng Tong from People's Action Party had attempted to seek another term, but this time round he joined Barisan Sosialis instead and win the election, despite his votes' share was slashed by nearly half.

Elections in 1950s

General Election 1959: Jalan Kayu
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
PAP Tan Cheng Tong 4,837 62.28
SPA Madai Puthan Damodaran Nair 2,929 37.72
Turnout 7,844 90.3
PAP win (new seat)

Notes: Madai Puthan Damodaran Nair has contested here in every GE since the inception of this ward, with the exceptions in 1967 by-elections and 1968 elections where he stood as an independent candidate in Thomson and Farrer Park wards respectively. He had previously elected in Seletar ward, which has since evolved into this ward and also went through up and downs, from an end of almost being elected MP since the independence of Singapore in 1984 elections when he represented the Workers' Party of Singapore and subsequently offered but declined the Non-constituency Member of Parliament seat to lost his election deposit in 1963 elections when he was one of the candidate that entered into the multi-cornered fight's fray under the banner of Singapore Alliance.[3]

References

  1. ↑ Offer was made to D Nair as the best performing but still unelected MP.
  2. ↑ Subsequent offer was made, but still declined by Tan.
  3. ↑ A summary of Madai Puthan had contested in the wards along his political life.

See also